From

IN MEMORIAM

Brod Jose Luis R. Laraya

UP Diliman '60

May 27, 1944 - August 6, 2026

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Novena via Zoom

August 7-15, 2026

Remembering Brod Joelo Laraya

by Norm Bituin

Brod Joelo, UPD'60 is the older brother of Brod Jopet, UPD'63. Both are UP Betans and both were UP ROTC officers (Vanguard) in Diliman.

The first time I met Joelo was when I moved to Toronto in 1974. Jopet took me to Joelo's home in Kingston, Ontario. We went fishing for trout at Hungry Lake.

The last time I saw Joelo was when I attended the 40th anniversary of Jopet's karate club in Toronto in 2016. I wrote an article about this visit (click: "Jopet's Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club Celebrates 40th Anniversary") where I included the pictures below.

As a mechanical engineer in UP and after a 5-year scholarship in electronics engineering at the University of Tokyo, I knew Joelo had a key role in the development of the personal computer. I researched online and found the article below where I extracted the following information. As the chief computer hardware engineer, Joelo built in 1972 the first prototype of the Micro Computer Machines machine, MCM/70, in his home/laboratory in Kingston, Ontario that transformed an Intel 8008 microprocessor into a personal computer system. The MCM/70 predated and appeared before the Apple II, the Commodore PET and the IBM PC. During the 1979 Ontario Travel Industry Conference, Joelo unveiled his Zapstar computer that was primarily designed for applications in the travel industry. His later work and inventor of patents involved cryptographic tokens and computer security systems.

Source: http://www.cse.yorku.ca/~zbigniew/mcm_add.html

After gathering all the personal and technical information about Joelo, I turned these over to ChatGPT which added more data to the research. The AI app asked me if I wanted a "polished" version of the collected data for publication. I replied that this would be published as a memoriam for our fraternity website. ChatGPT generated a pdf file (below) that is an amazing read and tribute to Brod Joelo's sterling career.

click: Jose_Luis_Laraya_Memorial_Biography

(generated by ChatGPT)

Brod Epifanio J. Villegas

UP Diliman '55

December 14, 1935 - August 17, 2026

[Photo from Dave Villegas]

Facebook article

I found the article "Memories of Old Manila & Beyond" about former Manila Mayor Atty. Antonio Villegas aka "Yeba" (for those old enough to remember). It lists his two younger brothers, Atty. Jun Villegas and Atty. Dave Villegas. Jun and Dave are Betan batch mates in UPD'55 and both are from the UP College of Law. Dave lives in San Francisco, CA. He remains very active and was a former GP of UP North.

Messages

Brod Epifanio Villegas Jr. (brother of Brod Dave Villegas - both are Beta Sigmans batch 55 UPD) died August 17 in Manila.
Wake details to follow. My condolences.

Gabby Moraleda

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Condolences and prayers. May your soul rest in peace Brod Epifanio Villegas Jr. UPD'55.

SJK

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Farewell and Rest in Peace Brod Epi Villegas! Prayers and condolences to family and Brod Dave Villegas!

Sonny Pagador

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Offering prayers.

Victor Ramos

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A few times, I would see Jun Villegas, an avid golfer, with playing buddies Eding Hizon and Rudolf de la Rosa after their game at the popular UP hangout and watering hole Butterfly Restaurant in the 60's-70's (again for those old enough to remember) with its famous Butterfly Iced Tea. It was located on the UP Golf Grounds on University Ave. At night it was one of the legendary folk houses where students, hippies, artists, and musicians gathered to listen to live acoustic guitars and protest music. I would listen to Brod Mel Gulfin, UPLB'65 with his guitar in his gigs at Butterfly.

Rest in peace, Brod Jun. Fore!!

Norm Bituin

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Brod Alex M. Antonino

UP Los Baños '73B

April 30, 1955 - September 10, 2026

[Photo from Dutch Aragones]

Wake/Viewing

La Pieta Memorial Chapels, Angeles City, Pampanga. Sep. 11, 2026.

[Photos from Bernie Bituin]

Messages

Rest in Eternal Peace Brod Alex. Condolence to the bereaved Antonino Family.

Viven Marfori

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Brod Alex Antonino 73b will be cremated Sept 11, 2026 at the La Pieta Crematorium, Angeles City.

Bernie Bituin

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This was back in 2016, when Brod Alex Blu attended the wake of Charter Brod Ludovico N. Tayag, who passed away on June 29, 2016, in Angeles, Pampanga.

By then, Brod Alex was already experiencing the early stages of dementia. Hindi na rin siya gaanong lumalabas ng bahay dahil sa takot na maligaw at hindi na makauwi.

Dutch Aragones

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Our hearts are with the family of Brod Alex “Blue” Antonino. He was originally from Los Baños town, tall, lanky and played basketball for the frat. His alyas was a pretty good one that clicked with his approval, Brod Bernie Bituin used to operate the Hacienda Luisita with Brod Alex as the chief sugar tech owing to his popularity with the matronas of Tarlac. He will be missed. May his good soul rest in peace.

Vee de Vera

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Rest in Peace, Alex.

Jesseboy

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Rest in Peace brod Alex.

Ambrosio Lapis

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Our deepest condolences to the fsmily of Brod Alex Antonino.

Ric Bartolome

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Our condolences to the family of brod Alex Antonio. May his soul rest in peace.

Rene Hernandez

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Our sincere condolences and prayers to Antonino family. May Brod Alex rest in eternal peace.

Bobby Reyes

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Rest in peace brother Alex.

Tony Velasco

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Condolence and our prayers.

Antonio Sarrosa

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Condolences to the family and may Brod Alex Rest in peace.

Benjamin Garcia

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Condolences, Sympathies, Prayers.

Ed Carandang

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